Fall of the Guardian
by SGTBrowncoat
Summary: Sequel to The Guardian - Itachi's time as Naruto Uzumaki's bodyguard has ended, and he has now turned his attention toward hunting the Akatsuki. The biggest threat may be much closer to home, however. Tensions between the Uchiha clan and the village are at an all time high, and Itachi may soon be forced to choose a side. AU
1. Chapter 1

I'm back! First off, I would like to apologize for the much longer than expected wait. My new job and the training that accompanies it has taken up way more of my time than I anticipated. The good news is, I have finally gotten back to work on The Guardian Trilogy. I hope I have not lost any of my old readers in the interim. If you have not already read The Guardian, please do so; this is a direct sequel. Hope you enjoy it.

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter One**

* * *

It was all Itachi could do to stay on his feet. He braced himself against a tree, struggling for breath. He looked around at his team. They were all covered in the fine mist of blood that had resulted from their target's rather unique form of self-destruction. One of his men, a young man in a bobcat mask, was nursing a wounded thigh. Had it not been for Itachi's battle against his cousin Obito nearly a year ago, this would have been the strongest opponent he had ever faced. He had lost three men, including his team's medic pursuing the former Swordsman of the Mist, and in the end it had all been for nothing.

"Kagemi, how bad is it?" he asked the wounded man.

"Bastard took a chunk out of my leg, but I'll live." the ANBU operative replied through gritted teeth, "What kind of lunatic gets himself eaten by sharks on purpose?"

"A dedicated one." Itachi replied, "He was loyal, even if it was to the wrong people. Whatever else he did, there's honor in that."

"Whatever. We lost three of our own today. I'm not wasting my respect on the bastard that killed them."

"You're right." Itachi sighed, "We have our own dead to honor, and that starts with getting them home. It won't be an easy trip. Let's get started."

The three day journey back to Konoha was long and silent. Hauling home the bodies of their fallen comrades was bad enough, but hauling them home from what was, in the end, a failed mission made it that much worse. This had been the first solid lead since Itachi had taken command of the Anti-Akatsuki Task Force. Not only had they positively identified a member of the terrorist group, they had managed to track him down. Against all odds, they had even found him alone rather than in a two man team as the Akatsuki always seemed to operate. The mission had been to capture Kisame Hoshigaki and deliver him to the village for interrogation. The rouge had proven unwilling to be taken alive. With no chance of extracting any intelligence from a shredded corpse, the mission was a failure.

The loss was hard on the entire team, but it was a particularly heavy blow to Itachi. It was not the first time subordinates had died under his command, but it never got any easier. Making matters worse, the battle had left Itachi more drained than it should have. His illness was progressing quickly. He was not sure how long he would be able to stay in the field. He was pushing his limits already.

It was late in the evening of the third day when Itachi's team made it back to the village. Itachi sent Kagemi to the hospital to have his wounded leg treated while the others took what was left of their fallen comrades to the morgue. Itachi then had the unenviable task of notifying the families of the dead, He had long ago decided that this was the worst part of command.

Itachi made it home at nearly midnight after hours of speaking to grieving parents and sobbing widows. He was emotionally and physically exhausted. The last person he wanted to see was his father, so he should have known that he would be waiting for him when he walked into the house.

"It's late." Fugaku observed, sitting on the couch, "I wasn't aware you had a mission. How did it go?"

"Not as well as I would have liked." Itachi sighed.

"What was the assignment?"

"You know that's classified." Itachi replied, knowing exactly what was about to begin.

"I am the Chief of Police and the head of this clan. It is my _right_ to know what goes on in this village, _especially _when it concerns my son."

"The Military Police have no jurisdiction over ANBU. The mission is classified."

Fugaku stood up, "Maybe you don't understand your position. I allowed you to join ANBU because I needed eyes and ears inside. I thought I could rely on my own son to do that for me."

"And why do you think you need 'eyes and ears' in ANBU?"

"It is my responsibility to defend this clan from _all _threats. That means having eyes and ears _everywhere_." Fugaku replied.

"You think ANBU is a threat to the clan?"

"Of course it is. Anyone who isn't Uchiha is a threat."

"Maybe that's the problem." Itachi muttered.

"I have been extraordinarily lenient with you, Itachi. I've let you make your own decisions, but in just over a month you'll be married and your sole responsibility will be to produce an heir with Mariko as soon as possible. We don't know how much time you have left. You must fulfill your duty to the clan by continuing the bloodline."

That was the last straw for Itachi. He turned on his heel and walked out.

"Where do you think you are going?"

"I have paperwork to do." Itachi replied flatly, slamming the door behind him.

Itachi could barely tolerate being home anymore. His mother had been a smothering presence ever since she learned of his terminal condition. His father had been similar at first, but soon had shifted to the opposite approach. He had all but completely detached himself from his oldest son, instead shifting all his plans and expectations onto Sasuke. On top of his parents' behavior, he was still expected to marry Mariko Uchiha in six weeks, the culmination of the arranged marriage that had loomed over him since he was thirteen. Every time he went home, he was met with wedding plans from Mikoto and lectures and interrogations from Fugaku. It left him little incentive to stay long.

ANBU Headquarters was a haven for Itachi. He could sit alone and write his mission reports in peace. This particular mission had left him with a great deal of paperwork to finish aside from the report. Intelligence had to be updated, injury reports had to be submitted, personnel files had to be altered, and post-mortem commendations for the fallen men had to be written. Itachi worked into the earliest hours of the morning.

It was only a few hours until dawn when Itachi finally finished his work. He was on his way out when he noticed light streaming out from under the closed door to the ANBU Commander's office. Hushed voices emanated from the room. Commander Rota should have been off duty many hours ago. Itachi knew it was none of his business, but curiosity got the best of him. He found himself eavesdropping.

"You said the same thing five years ago," said the voice of Commander Rota, "Nothing came of it. They've always been arrogant sons of bitches, but I've seen no evidence to suggest they would do anything this extreme."

"You see only what you wish to see." said a second voice Itachi recognized but could not place.

"Even if you're right, what you're suggesting is excessive and would only stir them up more. My men will have no part in it."

"Consider your position well, Rota. Consider whether or not you want to keep this command you are so proud of."

Itachi realized the conversation was coming to an end and someone would be leaving the office any second. He quickly continued down the hallway and out of the building before he could be caught. He was not certain what he had heard, only that he was not supposed to have heard it. Clearly someone had been threatening to remove Commander Rota from command, but who had that kind of influence, and why would they be threatening an ANBU commander? Itachi tried to put the entire incident out of his mind. It was clearly a headache he did not need.

As Itachi had hoped, the house was dark when he got home. He had nearly made it to his bedroom when Sasuke's door opened and the boy stepped out in his bedclothes.

"Hey." his little brother greeted.

"What are you doing up?" Itachi asked.

"What kind of shinobi would I be if I let somebody sneak into my house in the middle of the night without being caught?"

"Probably the same kind who can't sneak into his own house without being caught."

Sasuke shrugged, "I couldn't sleep." he admitted.

"You have training in the morning. You need rest."

"Dad was pissed tonight." Sasuke said, ignoring him, "He called you 'an ungrateful brat with no respect for the clan'."

Itachi sighed, "He wants classified information. He can get as angry as he wants, but I can't give it to him."

"…Why not? It's just Dad. It's not like he would do anything bad with it, and maybe you would argue less."

"I can't. You'll understand when you're entrusted with classified information."

Sasuke scowled, "If that ever happens. So far all I've been 'trusted' to do is chase cats and pull weeds."

"D-rank missions have their purpose. Prove yourself with the small missions and they'll trust you with the big ones. Be patient."

"Tell that to Naruto. He's been begging Kakashi-sensei for a real mission for weeks."

That came as no surprise to Itachi. Naruto had always been a bit too enthusiastic for his own good. From what Itachi remembered of Kushina Uzumaki, he had gotten it from her.

"This probably isn't what you or Naruto want to hear, but don't try to grow up too fast. Don't be like me. I got promoted young and I missed out on a lot. I don't want that to happen you."

Sasuke looked away, "I'll tell Naruto to cool it with the begging, but what about Dad? He keeps asking me when I'm going to take the Chunin Exams. He says he's going to confront Kakashi if we don't start getting C-ranks soon."

"He's trying to make you the new me." Itachi sighed, "I'm sorry. I never meant to put you through that."

"It's not your fault you're sick. I can handle myself. Don't worry."

"We both need to be up in a few hours. Try to get some sleep."

Sasuke nodded, "Goodnight, Aniki."

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Reviews are greatly appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter Two**

* * *

After only a few hours of sleep, Itachi was awake again. He would have to make his report to the Hokage that morning, but first he had his routine to attend to. After a quick shower, Itachi took his regimen of assorted pills and headed for the door. He made his way to the main gates of the village where Hana Inuzuka was waiting.

Hana grinned widely when she saw Itachi, "You made it! I wasn't sure if you were home yet."

"I got back last night." Itachi replied.

Hana hugged him, "How'd it go?"

"I… I don't really want to talk about it."

"…That bad, huh?"

Itachi gave a nod.

"I'm sorry."

"It was my fault. I moved too soon. I should have waited until I had more information."

"You made a judgment call. If you hesitate, you lose." Hana told him, "I'm sorry I couldn't be there to help this time."

"Your team needs you too. I can't borrow you every time a mission comes up. Anyway, if we're going to run, let's run.

Itachi had once been able to easily outrun Hana, but that was a long time ago. Now it was a struggle just to keep up. He had been determined not to let his illness hinder him, but his body had been less than cooperative. Hana had wanted to call off their morning runs out of concern for his health, but Itachi had always refused. He wanted to maintain his normal routine for as long as possible, and these runs were often the only time he could spend with Hana. Though she had agreed to keep running with him, Hana had reigned in her pace and kept a constant eye on him.

Itachi and Hana kept a steady pace around the village walls with the Haimaru Brothers on their heels. It wasn't slow by average standards, but it was frustrating to Itachi that he could not do what he could in the past. When they finished their route, Itachi was left gasping with the taste of blood in his mouth.

Hana put a hand on his shoulder, "You alright?"

Itachi nodded, still trying to catch his breath.

"You really shouldn't push yourself." Hana advised, "Besides the obvious, your back still isn't fully healed and never will be if you don't give it a chance."

"You sound like my mother."

Hana scowled, "I could start nagging you about floral arrangements and rehearsal dates too if you want."

"Please don't." Itachi groaned.

"I'm your medic. It's my job to nag you about your health, so you'd better get used to it. And don't you dare compare me to your mother ever again." Hana threatened teasingly.

Itachi took the opportunity to steal a kiss, "Deal. See you tomorrow."

With the enjoyable part of his day over, Itachi had to shift his focus back to report he needed to make to the Hokage. Not wanting to risk going home and finding his parents awake, he went back to ANBU Headquarters and changed into a fresh uniform from his locker. He then collected himself and made his way to the Hokage Tower.

Sarutobi was busy sorting through a stack of scrolls when Itachi was let into his office. He was looking older every day.

"I received word that your team made it back." the Third greeted, "Since I haven't heard from Ibiki Morino, I presume you were unable to take a prisoner."

"The target took his own life before we could capture him, sir. I'm sorry."

Sarutobi nodded slowly, "That is unfortunate, but capturing him was only one objective. There is one less Akatsuki member to worry about. That is a victory in itself. Well done."

"…I lost three men."

"Yes," Sarutobi sighed, "I received word of that as well."

"I shouldn't be leading this team, sir. We've made very little progress since I took command. This was the first solid lead we've had in months, and not only did I fail to deliver on it, I lost almost half my team."

"Losing subordinates is the hardest part of any command, but it is unavoidable, and something you must come to terms with."

"Six men under my command have died in the same number of years since I became a captain."

"Itachi, I was Hokage during the Second and Third Great Wars. I've lost _thousands _of men under my command in the space of _days_. You lost men. Grieve for them. That is only human, but you cannot complete the next mission if you are dwelling in the last one." Sarutobi told him sternly, "The Akatsuki are not like any enemy we have encountered before. They are smart and cautious. They have made no major moves to draw attention to themselves since Tobi was defeated, making information hard to come by. You may not be satisfied with your progress, but I don't believe that anyone else could do the job any better."

"We still don't know who is leading them now, and we don't know what their objective is."

"These things take time. Intelligence gathering is a slow process. I am confident in your abilities."

"…I'll do my best, sir."

"Take the rest of the day to collect yourself and get some rest. You look exhausted. You are dismissed."

Itachi returned to his locker and changed back into civilian clothes, but then realized that he had no idea what to do with himself. Going home was the last thing he wanted to do, Hana and Shisui were both working, and he did not have much in the way of hobbies. He wandered the village for a bit, eventually finding himself outside the walls at Training Field 3. There were several Genin teams training there, but Itachi's interest was in one in particular.

Kakashi Hatake had his team working on the tree climbing drill. Itachi had taught Sasuke and Naruto the basics of the technique when they were young, but neither of them had much patience for it at the time. Naruto's excess chakra tended to make precise chakra control difficult for him, and Sasuke considered the entire drill boring. Kakashi seemed to have picked up on the secret though. Make it a competition, and neither of the boys could resist. Itachi guessed that it would probably be like that all their lives. While Sasuke and Naruto were stubbornly working on the drill, their teammate, Sakura Haruno, seemed to have mastered it already. She had moved on to water walking. From what Itachi had seen of the girl, she appeared to have exceptional chakra control.

Itachi watched the boys train for quite some time unnoticed. It occurred to him that he actually missed his assignment as Naruto's bodyguard. He had felt like he was accomplishing something there, despite how he had viewed the mission when he first received it. His new assignment had been nothing but frustration and disappointment from day one.

Noon arrived and Itachi decided to return to the village. He made his way to a small tea house for lunch. He was half way through his meal when he started to get the feeling he was being watched. A quick scan of his surroundings did not reveal any obvious spies, but he had learned to trust that particular instinct. His appetite stymied, Itachi forced himself to take a few more bites, paid his bill, then left cautiously. He knew how to spot a follower without making it obvious that he was looking. After seemingly wandering aimlessly for a few blocks, Itachi finally got a look at his shadow. To his surprise, it was a young boy, not much older than Sasuke or Naruto, but he was eerily good at what he was doing. In fact, Itachi recognized ANBU techniques. Itachi employed some of the same tactics in an attempt to shake him.

It took the better part of an hour, but Itachi finally managed to lose his tail. He returned to ANBU Headquarters immediately. Though he was unnerved by the revelation that he had been the target of what appeared to be an ANBU-trained spy, he still felt that the secure building was a safe haven. He had his suspicions regarding who had sent the boy.

A few operatives greeted Itachi as he walked through the halls. In the common area, he spotted a fellow captain with whom he had worked in the past.

"Matari." he greeted.

"Hello, Itachi." the older woman replied, "I didn't think you were on duty today."

"Technically, I'm not. You're still working in recruit administration, aren't you?"

"Until I'm medically cleared from that knee injury anyway."

"Have you heard of any new recruits in the last year or so who were… unusual?"

"Everyone who joins ANBU is a bit unusual." Matari replied with a smirk.

"Exceptionally young, maybe?"

Matari laughed, "How young are you talking? Regular scale or compared to you? Nobody younger than seventeen has joined since the Hokage robbed the cradle with you. What, are you afraid someone's going to break your record?"

"Sure, that's it." Itachi replied sarcastically.

Itachi went to his desk. All the free time to think was driving him crazy. He needed to work on something to get his mind off it all. He began poring over every single piece of information the Intelligence Division had collected that month. It was a tedious, seemingly unending task trying to find connections that may not exist between tens of thousands of apparently unrelated events that occurred all over the continent. It was exactly the kind of mind numbing work Itachi needed to distract himself.

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Reviews are appreciated!


	3. Chapter 3

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter Three**

* * *

Itachi continued to analyze intel well into the evening until one of his men entered the office looking particularly grim.

"Sorry, sir. Didn't know you were here."

"Is something wrong?" Itachi asked him.

The operative nodded, "A report just came in from the Land Of Waves. My friend Komia and her team were there on a C-rank escort mission. Some rouge from Kiri got involved. We lost the whole team; Komia and two Genin."

Itachi leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath. That was Hana's Genin team. She might have been with them if she had not been reassigned after her promotion. Her teammates had never been selected for Chunin. Now they would never have another chance.

"I'm sorry about your friend." Itachi said.

"Thanks… You think you're prepared for this kind of thing, but… four friends within a few days… and Komia going down on some C-rank? You just don't see that coming."

Itachi wrapped up his work then went looking for Hana. He decided that it was unfair that he had to go searching for her while she could locate him at a moment's notice. He supposed there were advantages to being an Inuzuka even if their clan did not get the same respect as most.

Itachi finally found Hana in the small training field behind the Academy. She was whaling on a training dummy as if it had insulted her.

"I take it you heard." Itachi said solemnly.

She glanced back at him, her eyes red, "Go away."

"I would if I thought you actually meant it."

"Stubborn ass."

"I'm not the one trying to beat an innocent training dummy to death. Do you want to talk?"

"What's there to talk about?" Hana said gruffly.

"…You know… My sensei was killed too. I know what you're going through."

"It was different for you. You were there. You killed the guy who did it. You don't have to sit here wondering if you could have done something if you'd been there."

"…I know it's not what you want to hear, but I'm glad you _weren't _there. Maybe you _could_ have done something, or maybe you would have died with them."

"I know, but it's not going to stop me from wondering. I was always picking up the slack for Hirito and Shun. They weren't really cut out to be fighters. I knew they were going to be vulnerable, but I left anyway. They were terrible ninjas, but they were my friends, and I wasn't there."

"…The Hokage told me this morning that losing subordinates was a fact of this life that I am going to have to learn to accept. I suppose losing friends is the same." Itachi said quietly, "I'm sorry, Hana. They were good people."

"There wasn't enough left of their bodies to recover, but there's going to be a memorial service tomorrow."

"Would you like me to go with you?"

"Don't you have a wedding rehearsal?"

"Not if I can help it."

"Your mom will freak out."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

"If you're willing to risk it, then… yeah, I could use the emotional support."

Itachi kissed her on the forehead, "I'll be there."

The next day, dressed in black, Itachi met Hana at the cemetery. A crowd of mourners had gathered around photographs of the three fallen shinobi. Itachi's men would never have a service like this. ANBU operatives who were killed in action were put to rest quietly by their families. The only ceremony surrounding their deaths was the retirement of their masks by their teammates. ANBU operatives died as they lived; in the shadows, invisible to the world.

The Third rose and stood before the mourners.

"As shinobi, we have all accepted death and have learned to overcome our fear of it. That does not cheapen the value of life, nor soften the blow when it is taken. Komia Itasu was a veteran of the Third Great War. She was a Jonin, a skilled warrior, and a valued to teammate to all that served with her. But her life was not defined solely by her achievements in battle. She was also a talented artist, a loving daughter, and a dedicated teacher. Her loss will be felt by shinobi and civilians alike, and her legacy will live on in those whose lives she touched."

"Hirito Maeda and Shun Komatsu were on the brink of manhood, still on what should have been the first steps of their journey. It stings the entire village to lose two so young, but no one will feel that pain so acutely as the families they left behind. Our prayers are with them. We will never know who Hirito and Shun might have become, but we will never forget who they were. Komia, Hirito, and Shun died fighting. They each died a ninja's death. It is now our duty to honor their memory."

Several others spoke before the service came to an end. Itachi walked Hana home, then headed for home himself. He was just passing through the Uchiha gates when he was intercepted by his cousin. Shisui had not been quite the same since he been forced to kill the older brother he had thought dead. He was beginning to show signs of returning to his old self though. He smiled and joked like he used to more often, and fewer of the smiles were fake.

"You owe me big." said Shisui.

"What?"

"When you didn't show for the rehearsal, Aunt Mikoto hunted _me _down because she assumed I would know where you were. When I told her I didn't, I got stuck playing _your _part in the rehearsal. So, yeah, you owe me."

"Maybe if I don't show up to the wedding _you'll_ have to marry Mariko." Itachi speculated.

"I thought we were friends."

"I'm sorry I put you in that position. I was at the memorial for Hana's old team."

"Oh, I _knew_ where you were. I just didn't tell Aunt Mikoto."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. I don't think I can save you from the ambush you're about to walk into." Shisui warned.

"Ambush?"

"Your mom is still making last minute wedding plans with Mariko, but Uncle Fugaku is pissed and he's waiting for you."

"Of course he is." Itachi sighed.

"Want me to go with you?"

Itachi shook his head, "No need to get yourself in trouble. I can handle him on my own."

"Good luck."

Itachi took a deep breath before opening the door. Fugaku stood just inside, arms crossed.

"Where were you today?" he demanded immediately.

"At a funeral."

"Instead of your own wedding rehearsal?"

"What's the point of rehearsing a wedding that isn't going to happen?"

"It is far too late to start protesting this marriage, Itachi."

"I've been 'protesting' it for the last five years. It hasn't seemed to make much of a difference."

"And it won't. This decision was made for the good of the clan. As _heir_ to the clan, that is something you have to respect. You've had your fun. Now it's time for you to do your duty."

"All I've _ever_ done is my duty! My duty to the clan, to the village. Now I have a few more years to live if I'm lucky. What does marrying Mariko accomplish?"

"You have the most powerful Sharingan we have seen in generations. If you died without passing that on, it would severely weaken the bloodline."

"Well, I'm glad to know that in my last few years my family will primarily be concerned with my breeding value." Itachi said sarcastically.

"Your problem is that you think of no one but yourself. Think about Sasuke." Fugaku said, "When you die, he will be left with all your responsibilities. He was not trained for that role like you were."

The mention of his little brother made something snap inside Itachi, "I _do_ think of Sasuke! I see what you're doing to him! All the unreasonable expectations you had for me, you're just dumping onto him! He's just a kid! _I _was just a kid! You want us to be some kind of paragons of the Uchiha ideal! It's like you still think we're at war with the other clans! That war ended over a hundred years ago if you hadn't noticed! Sasuke doesn't have to be your perfect Uchiha warrior!"

"The obvious combat may have ended, but the war against us never did. The village is still controlled by the Senju and their puppets, and for the last century they have done everything they can to oppress us. It is my duty to keep this clan strong. It would have been your duty eventually, but now it will pass to Sasuke. He has to be prepared to do what is necessary."

"Maybe once I'm dead you can go back to filling his head with your paranoid bullshit, but not while I'm still here."

"He is _my_ son, and so are you. You _will_ submit to me."

"I'm not a child anymore, and you don't intimidate me. I will not marry Mariko, and I will not allow you to do to Sasuke what you did to me."

Fugaku's face was red with rage, "Get out. Get your things and leave the Compound. Now."

"Gladly."

Itachi had never accumulated much in the way of personal belongings. It did not take long to gather what he did have into a pack. He walked out the door and headed for the gate without ever looking back.

"Hey!" Shisui called, "What happened?"

"I finally told him exactly what I thought." Itachi replied, "Then he kicked me off the Compound."

"You could stay at my place."

"Not without your mom telling him."

"What are you going to do then?"

"I don't really know."

Shisui raised an eyebrow, "Wow, you really didn't think this through, did you? That's a first."

"I guess things change when there isn't much of a future left to think about."

"Would you stop saying stuff like that? You're not dead yet."

Itachi brushed him off, "I should go before my dad comes to find out why I'm still on his property. Keep an eye on Sasuke for me."

"Will do."

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Reviews are appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter Four**

* * *

Having been kicked out of the Uchiha Compound, Itachi considered returning to his old standby at ANBU Headquarters for a while, but the prospect of sleeping on a bench in the locker room was less than appealing. Besides the obvious discomfort, his coworkers would undoubtedly notice his presence and want an explanation. He did not want to air his clan's dirty laundry to his entire division. Instead, Itachi found himself on the doorstep of the Inuzuka house. Tsume answered the door.

"I'm sorry to ask, but would it be possible for me to stay here for a while?" Itachi asked sheepishly, "I'm not welcome at home at the moment."

Tsume smiled toothily, "'Course! You can stay as long as ya need. C'mon in. We're just starting dinner."

Itachi hesitated. He remembered the last time he had endured Tsume's cooking.

She must have noticed, and laughed loudly, "Don't worry, Hana did the cooking tonight."

"…I'm not sure if that's an improvement." Itachi admitted.

"Well, she hasn't given anybody food poisoning yet."

Hana was clearly surprised to see Itachi sit down with her family.

"Itachi's gonna stay with us for a while." Tsume explained.

"Let me guess," Hana said, "Fight with your dad?"

"He kicked me out this time."

"Was it worth it?"

Itachi had to smile, "It _did_ feel pretty good."

"Good." Hana said with a grin.

That night, Itachi settled in on the couch. Hana gave him a blanket and a pillow from the linen closet.

"The dogs will be in and out all night." she warned, "Just ignore them. Sleep well."

"You too."

Hana stood on her toes and kissed him quickly on the lips, "Goodnight."

Itachi smiled, "Goodnight."

The next morning after their run, Itachi went to work as usual. He was cautious as he walked through the village, looking for signs of another follower, but found none. It was an uneventful day. There would be no field work until he could somehow turn the mountain of paper on his desk into an actionable lead. He left work hours later tired and having made little progress. He was returning to the Inuzuka house when someone called his name. He turned to see Sasuke and Naruto running toward him.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" Sasuke said, "Why didn't you come home last night?"

"I did. Then I was asked to leave."

"You fought with Dad again, huh?"

"It's not important. Why were you looking for me?"

Naruto was practically shaking with excitement, "We're going to the Chunin Exams!"

Itachi was stunned, "What?"

"Kakashi-sensei asked us today! We're going to take the Exams next week!"

"…I see."

"You're not excited." Sasuke realized.

"No, it's not that." Itachi assured him, "I'm proud of you both."

"But you don't think we're ready."

"Have you eaten yet?"

The boys shook their heads.

"Come on then. Let's get dinner."

"_Anywhere_ but Ichiraku's." Sasuke said, glaring at Naruto, "It's all we've had for lunch for _weeks_."

Itachi smiled, "Not Ichiraku's then."

Itachi and the boys walked a few blocks to a local sushi restaurant where they were seated in a booth near the door.

"So… Kakashi thinks you're ready for the Chunin Exams, does he?"

"Yeah, but apparently _you_ don't." Sasuke muttered.

"I don't want you to misunderstand. I know you both have the skill to be Chunin, but there is a lot more to it than just your combat ability. All your missions up to this point have been routine. That will change when you get promoted. Combat missions will take priority. It isn't that I don't think you _can_ handle it, it's that you shouldn't _have_ to, not yet."

"We _want_ to, Itachi-niisan! I'm not scared!" Naruto insisted.

"I didn't become a shinobi to do D-ranks." Sasuke said, "I chose this life to serve the village, just like you did."

"There is something I want you to think about." Itachi told them, "Chunin can, and often are, placed in command positions. If you're promoted, it won't be long before you're asked to lead a mission."

"I can do that. I know how to operate a team." said Sasuke.

"It's not all about having the right plan and giving the right orders. You can do everything right and something can still go wrong. I lost three men recently. I had to tell their families that they were never coming home. Are you prepared for that?"

Both boys were quiet for a long time, Naruto tapping his chopsticks on the table.

"…Does it matter if we're prepared or not?" Naruto asked finally, "Were _you_ prepared?"

"…No. I suppose I wasn't." Itachi admitted.

"We're eventually going to have to do things like that whether we wait to take the Exams or not." said Sasuke, "I don't think it makes a difference when it is."

"I can't stop you from going forward with this; I just want you to fully understand what a huge responsibility you are competing for. It's not just an opportunity to prove you're better than everyone else."

"We know."

"Then good luck. I know you'll both do well."

The waitress brought the group their meal and they dug in.

"You know, you're probably lucky Dad kicked you out." Sasuke commented.

"Why's that?"

"Well, I guess it's nothing really. It just seems like everybody at home is pissed off all the time lately. More than usual anyway."

"How so?"

Sasuke shrugged, "I don't know, it just seems like they all complain about every little thing. Right now they keep saying that the Hokage's refusing to give them funding for the Military Police and that the council is doing it just to spite the clan. It's the same stuff they always complain about, it just seems worse lately."

Itachi sighed, "They've been demanding funding to expand the police force even though there has been less and less need for them. They're not going to get any money out of the council, especially with Homura in charge of the village finances."

"I don't really know anything about that stuff." Sasuke said.

"So are you actually gonna marry that Uchiha girl or what, Itachi-niisan?" Naruto asked.

"No." Itachi replied, "Despite what my parents thought, that was never going to happen."

"What about Hana then?"

"What about her?"

"Come on, Aniki," said Sasuke, "It's not like you're still pretending she's not your girlfriend."

"It's not an option right now."

"Why?"

Itachi raised his eyebrow at his brother, "You really want to have this conversation?"

"Yes."

"Well, the price for that is dinner. Either you drop it and I pay the bill, or you keep pushing it and we find out just how far a couple of Genin's salaries will go." Itachi challenged.

The younger boys consulted silently then relented.

"…Fine. You win." Sasuke sighed.

"That's what I thought."

After dinner, Itachi bid Sasuke and Naruto goodbye then returned to the Inuzuka house for the night.

As he fell into a new routine over the next several days, foreign shinobi began to filter into the village. That meant plenty of extra work for Itachi and his men. The Exams were the most important time of the year for espionage. There was no doubt that a great many of the visitors were actually there to spy on the Leaf rather than take part in the Exams. Every ANBU team in Konoha had been reassigned to keeping order in the village and keeping a close watch over the foreigners. This year's batch of candidates was an unusual one. Oto – a village that no one seemed to be able to learn much about – was participating in the Exams for the first time, and from Suna, the Kazekage's three children would be competing as well. The youngest of the three was a very strange child. Even Itachi could not help but be a bit unnerved by the soulless look in the boy's eyes. It would be an interesting year indeed.

* * *

Reviews are appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter Five**

* * *

The first day of the Chunin Exams arrived with all the usual fanfare. Itachi had to work and would be unable to watch the first day's events, but he was able to make it to the Academy before the first test. He found Team Seven among the crowd waiting to enter.

"Can you believe it, Nii-san?!" Naruto exclaimed, "We're gonna be Chunin!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself." Itachi warned, "You have a long way to, go and these tests will require all your focus."

"Yeah," Sasuke mumbled, "The test hasn't even started yet, idiot."

"Hey! You were just as excited as me before Itachi got here!"

"What exactly is the exam like?" asked Sakura, clearly more nervous than her teammates.

"Every year is different, but they always start with a written test. After that, it's all up to the proctors." Itachi replied.

"Don't worry. We've got this." Sasuke said.

The crowd around them began to move.

"It looks like they're ready for you." Kakashi observed.

"Remember," Itachi advised, "The world is watching you today. You're representing the entire village, not just yourselves."

The three young Genin nodded.

"Good luck."

After Team Seven was inside and out of sight, Itachi turned to Kakashi.

"You're sure about this?"

"Even if I wasn't, it's too late to go back now." Kakashi replied.

"They're just kids."

"Yes, but they're ready. Maybe not to pass the exams, but to get their first taste of them."

"You don't think they'll pass?" Itachi asked, surprised.

"That's not why I recommended them. They need to find out what actual combat feels like. They need to understand what's next for them. This is the perfect opportunity."

"Maybe…"

"You have to admit that it's a more controlled environment than just throwing them into higher ranked missions."

"I suppose that's true."

"Besides, they might surprise us."

Itachi hated having to return to work that morning, but knew that there may not have been anything to see yet anyway. Even if there was, he could get the details from Hana who had managed to get the next several days off to watch her brother compete.

When Itachi left work for the day, he learned that the candidates had moved on to the second stage of the exam. They were already in the Forest of Death for the survival test. While they were inside, no one would know what was happening except a few ANBU operatives selected as monitors. They would be placed throughout the forest to keep notes on the candidates' abilities, but with strict orders to remain hidden and not to interfere. Not even the proctors would know what was going on until the teams began to complete the stage.

Itachi had been having difficulty sleeping for a long time, but tonight it was particularly severe as his mind kept drifting back to Sasuke and Naruto, wondering how they were doing in the Forest of Death. Four Genin had died during Stage Two of his own Chunin Exam many years ago, and he knew casualties were no less common now.

It was late afternoon the next day, and Itachi was back in his office. Though he had started the day groggy and distracted, he was now deeply engrossed in his work. A pattern was beginning to emerge. Several incidents over the past several months were all believed to be tied to the Akatsuki, and all of them eventually led back to the Land of Rain. The connection was a tenuous one, but it was still a connection. He was going back over several intelligence reports to make sure he had not imagined it. He almost did not notice when Kakashi walked into his office, but when he looked up, he knew immediately that something had happened.

"Is it Sasuke or Naruto?" he asked.

"Sasuke."

Itachi clenched his jaw, "How badly is he hurt?"

"He isn't 'hurt' exactly… I'll try to explain, but I don't know all the details yet myself." Kakashi replied, "It seems that Orochimaru has infiltrated the village. He disguised himself as one of the candidates from Kusa and attacked Sasuke in Training Ground 44. He placed some kind of curse mark on him. Anko was able to identify it as the Ten no Juin. Apparently it has a one in ten success rate, killing the other nine, so Sasuke's lucky as far as that goes."

"What will it do to him?"

"That's harder to say. The seal didn't hold on Anko, but she thinks it will increase his chakra levels and physical capabilities by quite a bit. Unfortunately, it will also eat away at his mind."

"Last year when my team encountered Orochimaru, he told me that he intended to use my body as his new vessel. Maybe he's changed his mind."

"I read the report. He might consider Sasuke an easier target… or maybe just a younger body to inhabit. Of course there's always the possibility that he's just trying to draw _you_ out."

"He won't be using either of our bodies. Where is Sasuke now?"

"He insisted on competing in the first round of one-on-ones. He managed to win his match without using his Sharingan, but I have him under ANBU guard now in case Orochimaru decided he isn't finished with him."

"What do you plan to do about the curse mark?"

"I'm going to try to seal it, but I could use your help."

"I have _some_ experience in fuinjutsu, but I doubt I could be much use to you." Itachi pointed out.

"There is only one seal that the Hokage thinks will work on this kind of curse mark. Unfortunately that particular seal is going to be completely dependent on Sasuke's willpower. He'll be the only one who can determine if it'll hold. I think you'll have better luck explaining that to him than I will."

"I'll do what I can."

Sasuke was being kept out of sight in the catacombs beneath the arena, and was clearly unhappy with the arrangement when Itachi and Kakashi arrived.

"This is pointless, Sensei! I'm fine! I should be watching the rest of the preliminaries!"

"Not until that mark is dealt with." Kakashi replied.

"I can handle it."

"A curse mark like that isn't something _anyone_ can just 'handle', Otouto." Itachi told him.

"Come on! I got through the Forest of Death and the preliminaries with this. I'm fine!"

"The longer it has to get a grip on you, the harder it will be to control. We have to do this now."

"Orochimaru changes bodies every few years. He thinks of it as immortality." Itachi explained, "He had chosen me as his new vessel as of last year, but we think he might have decided to target you instead. The curse mark might be the first step toward possessing you. That's why we have to seal it."

"…How bad is this going to hurt?" Sasuke sighed.

"Pretty bad." Kakashi admitted, "But it'll be quick."

"Listen, Otouto, this seal will only be as strong as you make it. If your will weakens, so will the seal. The curse mark is potentially very powerful, so it'll be tempting to use it. You can't do that."

"I won't."

"That's easy to say now, but someday down the road you _will_ be tempted. It might help you win a fight, but it will leave you vulnerable."

"I get it."

The sealing technique was complicated and took quite a while to set up.

"Alright. I'm ready here." Kakashi announced, "I need you to get out of the circle, Itachi."

Itachi gave a nod and squeezed Sasuke's shoulder reassuringly before stepping away.

Kakashi began the long series of hand signs and the seal began to form around the curse mark. Sasuke gritted his teeth, and clenched his fists, anything not to scream, but it finally escaped. Finally the seal was in place, and Sasuke passed out.

Itachi knelt to check on him.

"He's just exhausted. He'll be fine." Kakashi assured him.

"I should hope so." said an all too familiar voice from the shadows.

Itachi was startled, and from Kakashi's reaction, so was he. Orochimaru had managed to sneak up on them both at once.

"If you want him, you'll have to go through both of us." Itachi growled.

"That won't be necessary." the Sannin said with a thin smile, "I'm simply checking on my investment."

"Whatever you want with him, you will never get your hands on him." Kakashi said.

Orochimaru laughed, "Of all people, I didn't imagine _you _could be so naïve, Kakashi. I won't _have_ to take Sasuke by force. He will come to me willingly. They always do."

"He's stronger than you think. He won't be manipulated by you." said Itachi.

"All shinobi desire greater power. It is irresistible, even to the most honorable. It will take time, but I have all the time in the world. He will come. But you, Itachi, won't be alive to see it, will you? Poor Itachi. For all your talent, you turned out to be just a fragile human after all. How much longer will you live I wonder. Years? Months? And who will protect poor Sasuke then?"

Itachi had heard enough. He drew a kunai and struck at the rouge Sannin's head. The blade connected, but instead of skull, it cut through several white snakes as Orochimaru's body transformed into a wriggling mass of serpents. Itachi jumped back as the cluster moved across the room and again took Orochimaru's shape.

He laughed, "Have I made you angry, Itachi? I wonder how angry Sasuke will be after his beloved older brother dies. Anger does remarkable things to men. I am curious to see how long it will take Sasuke to come asking for just a bit more of the power I have shown him."

Itachi threw the kunai as hard as he could, but only managed to pin a snake to the wall as the rest melted into nothing along with the fading sound of laughter.

"He's too much of a coward to challenge us both in person." Kakashi told him, "Don't waste your energy."

Itachi shook his head, "He's no coward, just wise enough not to take unnecessary risks. But I don't understand why he would tell us his plan. It has to be more than just wanting to mock us."

"We need to report this to the Hokage."

Itachi nodded, "…Yeah. If you'll take Sasuke home for me, I'll speak to the Third."

* * *

Just a note. I know at least one of my readers was excited to see the Chunin Exams play out. While it _is_ definitely a pivotal part of the Naruto storyline, The Guardian Trilogy is really Itachi's story, and I did not feel that writing the entire Chunin Exams arc through the eyes of a spectator would be particularly interesting. But, have no fear; the next several chapters will begin delving into the meat an potatoes of this story.

As always, reviews are appreciated!


	6. Chapter 6

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter Six**

* * *

Itachi returned to the surface and climbed the stairs to the Hokage's box.

"Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi turned in his seat to see him, then nodded to the guards to allow Itachi to pass.

"Did you assist Kakashi with the seal?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"And was it successful?"

"I believe so, but I have more to report."

"Proceed."

Itachi relayed the encounter with Orochimaru.

"We have teams searching for him now." Sarutobi said, "And I just received word that someone will be arriving tomorrow who should be a great help in this particular situation."

"That's good. Once the exam candidates return to their own villages it will be easier to secure Konoha."

Sarutobi sighed, "Unfortunately, it will be at least another month before that happens."

"A month?" Itachi asked, surprised.

"The Kazekage requested the postponement so he could be present for the finals."

"And we've agreed to it?"

"Suna may be the weakest of the Great Nations, but the Kazekage is quick to take offense. We can't afford to make enemies right now, even if that means catering to the other villages."

"…I don't like it, sir. Having foreign tropps in the village for over a month… It's asking for trouble."

"I agree, but we've been backed into a corner."

"Do you have orders for me, Hokage-sama?"

"Not at the moment, but I would like you to report to my office in the morning."

"Yes, sir."

"In the mean time, stay vigilant."

"I always am, sir."

Itachi was leaving the arena at the same time as most of the spectators. Hana fell in beside him from the crowd.

"Is Sasuke alright?" she asked, "It looked like he was hurt."

"He'll be fine. How did Kiba do?"

Hana shrugged, "He got eliminated. He got matched up against the Kazekage's daughter. He didn't really stand much of a chance, but he put up a pretty good fight, so I'm proud of him."

"I haven't heard how Naruto did."

"He fought one of those Sound Genin. It was kind of a beat down."

Itachi winced, "That bad?"

"For the Sound kid, yeah. What, you thought I meant Naruto?"

Itachi smiled, "Good. He's never been a very graceful loser."

"Yeah… well, I bet my brother's worse, and he's the one we have to stay in the same house with tonight. You've been warned."

Sure enough, Kiba ranted all through dinner about how wind style was "cheating", and should be banned from the Chunin Exams.

"You got beat fair and square, pup." Tsume scolded him, "Take it like a man and go back to training."

"But Mom! It was a cheap shot! Hana even saw it!"

"It was a smart move, and she kicked your ass. Get over it." Hana said.

"Come on, Itachi. We men have to stick together, right?"

"Oh no, you're not dragging me into this one." Itachi replied.

Kiba pouted, "You guys suck."

The next morning, Itachi reported to the Hokage's office as he had been instructed. When he was allowed inside, he found he was not the Third's only visitor. A tall, white-haired, eccentrically dressed man stood across from Sarutobi.

"Ah, there you are, Itachi." the Third said, "I'd like you to meet my former student, Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya?" Itachi asked, surprised, "It's an honor, sir. You're a legend."

"I've heard a lot about you." Jiraiya replied, "I hear you've been taking good care of my godson."

"Your godson, sir?"

"Naruto."

"Naruto is your… godson?"

"That's what I said." Jiraiya replied with a grin.

"Naruto's father was one of Jiraiya's students." Sarutobi explained.

Itachi looked at the smiling man, a sudden anger bubbling up, "Where have you been for the last thirteen years of Naruto's life?"

Jiraiya did not seem to know how to respond, so Itachi continued.

"Do you know what he's been through? Do you know how he's been treated? He was completely alone until I was _assigned_ to look after him. Where was his godfather?"

"…I had… work. It kept me out of the village most of the time."

"Jiraiya is at the center of one of our most important spy rings." Sarutobi said.

"As much as I respect that, and understand the importance of the work, I don't accept that you didn't have a single opportunity in the last thirteen years to drop by and let Naruto know you exist."

"I don't have a good excuse." Jiraiya admitted, "But I'm here to try to make up for lost time."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"I can teach him. I can teach Naruto things no one else can; his father's legacy. I'm going to take him on the road with me."

"Naruto _has_ a sensei. He has friends and a life _here_ now, no thanks to you."

"I've already spoken to Kakashi, and he's agreed to it. And either way, I don't mean to take him immediately. It won't be until after the Chunin Exams at least."

"If it's what Naruto wants, I won't object," Itachi conceded, "But you have a lot of apologies to make to him."

"You weren't kidding, Sarutobi-sensei," Jiraiya commented, "You found the kid one hell of a bodyguard."

Itachi was still angry as he left the Hokage's office. All this time, Naruto had a godfather who had not even bothered to introduce himself to the boy. He had effectively abandoned a child to whom he had a responsibility to look after. While Itachi could understand having to be away on missions for long periods, there was no excuse for a thirteen year absence. Even a letter would have been better than nothing.

After walking only a short distance, Itachi realized that he was once again being followed. He was in no mood to play games this time. Instead of a drawn out dance of trying to lose the spy, Itachi did the opposite and went directly for him. Realizing that the tables had been turned, the spy tried to escape, but Itachi had far more experience and had caught him by surprise. Without much difficulty, Itachi caught the same pale-skinned boy who had been following him the day before.

"What do you want?" he demanded.

The boy smiled flatly, "I don't want anything." he said completely without inflection.

"Who do you work for?"

"I can't tell you that."

"I don't have time for this. Who sent you and why?"

The boy continued to smile with no emotion behind it. It was like speaking to an empty shell.

"As I said, I am unable to tell you that."

Itachi needed to confirm his suspicions. He took hold of the boy's jaw and forced his mouth open. He scowled when he saw a distinctive seal inscribed on the boy's tongue. It was a technique deemed inhumane and frowned upon even by ANBU, but there was no doubt in Itachi's mind who _would_ use it. He released the boy.

"Let me guess; you don't have a name."

"I have never needed one."

"Tell Danzo that if he wants something from me, he can come get it himself instead of sending brainwashed children."

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated!


	7. Chapter 7

I moved to a different shift at work this week, so I will be modifying my update schedule. New chapters will now be posted on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

Itachi had work to do, but he knew he was not going to be able to focus on anything as worked up as he was. Instead, he made his way deep into the basement of ANBU Headquarters to the division's private training facility. There were several operatives already training in the sparring ring, so he joined them. One of the men was unusually large and brawny for an ANBU operative, most of whom favored speed and finesse over raw strength. Itachi accepted a friendly challenge from the muscular man. He expected a bit of a trying fight, but he had a plan to beat the larger, slower adversary.

From his opponent's first move, Itachi realized that his strategy was not going to work. This man was far faster and more agile than he appeared, and he did not fight like most shinobi of his size. Instead, he fought more like Itachi himself, relying on feints and quick, precise attacks, but with far more power than Itachi could ever muster. Itachi quickly found himself on the defensive. He took a dizzying punch to the stomach, and a bruising shin kick before he began to pick up on his opponent's tells. He caught the tiniest hint of an opening as the larger man stumbled almost imperceptibly as he recovered from a kick, and knew he had only one chance to exploit it. He slipped past the man's guard and struck the side of his neck as hard as he could with his forearm. The ANBU operative's eyes glazed over for just a moment, and he stumbled back, stunned.

He raised a hand, "Alright, I'm done. You win."

Itachi took a towel from the nearby shelf to wipe the sweat from his face, and tossed one to his opponent as well.

"That was a good match," he told him, "You're much faster than I expected."

The man smiled, "Everyone always underestimates me. They assume I'm slow and stupid. It's easy to use to my advantage."

"I don't think we've met. I'm Itachi Uchiha."

He laughed, "Everyone around here knows who _you _are, sir. I'm Juro Hurai."

"Nice to meet you."

"You know, I might not look it, but I've actually got some Uchiha blood myself."

Itachi looked at the large, stubble-faced, blond man skeptically.

"Not legitimate." Juro admitted, "But it's still blood. My great-grandfather fell in love with an Uchiha woman. Unfortunately for them, he was very un-Uchiha, and she was very married. They had an affair and she got pregnant. No one suspected anything until the baby was born with blond hair and green eyes. The mother died in an 'accident' a few weeks later, but the real father got custody before anything could happen to the baby. The baby was my grandmother."

It seemed plausible enough to Itachi despite Juro's complete lack of any typical Uchiha features.

"No Sharingan though I assume." Itachi guessed, trying to contain a cough.

"Nah. Unfortunately that gene didn't make it to me."

Itachi did not say that he was probably lucky it had not. He did not even want to imagine how the Uchiha would react to a Sharingan outside the clan. Kakashi having Obito's eye had caused enough of uproar at the time, and there was no genetics involved in that case.

"Thank you for the good fight. I needed it."

"Any time. I'm down here most of my off time, and I'll never turn down a rematch."

Though Itachi had enjoyed the fight, the extra strain on his body was immediately evident. He managed to contain his coughing until he was out of earshot of the others, but he had to run to his locker for his medication. He sat on a bench in the locker room for a long time, just trying to control his breathing. Once he had recovered, he walked to the sink to rinse out his mouth, spitting the blood down the drain.

Itachi's streak of sleeping difficulties continued that night. He lay awake for a long time, staring at the ceiling. It was about eleven at night, when Itachi was startled by a loud knock on the front door. As he stood up, Hana came down to stairs.

"It's Shisui." she said.

Sure enough, it was Shisui on the doorstep, and he looked anxious.

"Good, you _are_ here." he said when he saw Itachi, "You need to come with me."

"What's going on?"

"Uncle Fugaku called a clan meeting tonight, and… You're going to have to come hear this for yourself."

Confused, Itachi pulled on his sandals and went to follow Shisui. He was surprised to find Hana pulling on her shoes as well.

"What?" she asked, "You thought I'd hear something like that and not be curious? I'm coming too."

Feeling rushed, Itachi did not argue.

The three hurried through the sleeping village and through the conspicuously unguarded gates to the Uchiha Compound. The Compound was completely deserted save for the packed main hall. Shisui joined the rest of the clan inside, while the intruders, Itachi and Hana, quietly climbed to the roof where they could listen through the open skylight. Inside, Fugaku stood on a platform in the middle of the room surrounded by the rest of the agitated clan. Mikoto was at his side, but to Itachi's relief, Sasuke was nowhere to be seen.

"For almost a hundred years, the Senju have lorded over us, oppressed us, and kept our birthright from us." Fugaku began, "They segregate us, limit our influence, and look upon us with suspicion and disdain. All the while, they patronize us with flowery words and meaningless offerings of false power."

The already restless clan became even more stirred up.

"This village is ours by right, but has been kept from us for the last century. In the entire history of Konoha, there has never been an Uchiha Hokage, and if the Senju domination is allowed to continue, there never will be. I say that if they will not give us what we are owed, we will take it by force!"

The clan's response was deafening.

"We will eliminate the Senju's figurehead of a Hokage, and I will take my own rightful place as ruler of this village. We will destroy the Hyuga pretenders and set an example for all the clans. We will show them that we will not be trifled with! We will no longer be mocked and looked down upon! We will show Konoha the true power of the Uchiha!"

The clan roared their approval, and Itachi felt sick. This was not an idea that just occurred to Fugaku. He had clearly been planning this for a very long time.

"Are they serious?" Hana whispered.

"…We need to go."

When Itachi, Hana, and Shisui regrouped outside the Compound, Shisui looked as ill as Itachi felt.

"I knew things had been pretty tense lately, but I never imagined they would take it this far." Shisui said.

"Where is Sasuke?" asked Itachi.

"Kakashi has him out training or the Exam finals." Shisui replied.

"That's good. Maybe he won't get involved."

"What the hell happened in there?" asked Hana, "I know your clan has always had issues with the village, but they were talking about a freaking _coup_ in the there!"

"The situation has been getting a lot worse ever since the Fourth died. When Sarutobi was reinstated instead of selecting a new Hokage, a lot of the clan saw it as a deliberate attempt to keep an Uchiha from coming to power." Shisui explained.

"I'm sure it didn't help matters when I openly defied my father in favor of the village." Itachi added miserably.

"So now they decide that killing an old man and probably starting a war is the appropriate response?"

"We were a warrior clan for hundreds of years." Itachi sighed, "Anything but direct, brutal retaliation for any perceived slight would mark you as a coward in those days. My father is trying to build himself into a warlord… like Madara Uchiha."

"You don't think that the _real_ Madara might have something to do with this, do you? I mean… Obito _did_ say…"

"I doubt it. My father didn't need any encouragement."

"What about the Hyugas? What was that about?"

"They're the biggest threat." Shisui replied, "Other than the Uchiha, they're the biggest and most influential clan in the village. They also have the only other Dojutsu."

"So they're getting rid of the competition?"

"Yes, but it's more than that. The Hyuga clan has a theory that the Byakugan and the Sharingan have a common ancestor, but that the Byakugan predates the Sharingan. That never sat well with some members of our clan. If the Uchiha wipe out the Hyuga then, in their minds, it would prove the Sharingan superior."

"So… 'let's kill an entire clan to prove we win the dick-measuring contest'. Yeah, that sounds totally sane." Hana said.

Itachi turned to Shisui, "I need to report this to the Hokage, and I need you to tell my father that I did it."

"Why the hell would I do that?"

"Right now, he thinks you're with them. We need to keep it that way. We're going to need a lot of information, and you're the only one on the inside."

"This is so messed up, but… yeah, I've got your back."

"You should go home." Itachi told Hana, "I'll be there once I've spoken to the Hokage."

"…If your sure you'll be alright. Be careful."

"You too."

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated.


	8. Chapter 8

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

Sarutobi was clearly accustomed to being woken in the middle of the night. He answered his door looking bedraggled, but unsurprised.

"What happened?" he asked immediately.

"I have a lot to report, sir, and it shouldn't be overheard." Itachi replied.

"Come in."

Sarutobi sat down in his living room and motioned for Itachi to do the same.

"There is a clan meeting happening in the Uchiha Compound as we speak." Itachi began, "My father announced his intention to stage a coup against you. The rest of the clan was… enthusiastic."

Sarutobi steepled his fingers, "You're sure?"

"I wish I could say I might have misinterpreted something, but it was very clear."

"I need to know exactly what was said."

Itachi recounted every detail of the story the best he could.

Sarutobi sighed heavily, "I hate it when Danzo is right."

"Danzo knew about this?" Itachi asked.

It was only then that he remembered Danzo's words to him nearly a year earlier as he lay recovering in the hospital. 'The time will soon come when you will have to choose'. This was what he meant.

"He has been pushing for action against the Uchiha clan for years, claiming that they were plotting against the village. There was no proof."

"…Now there is."

"I will speak to Fugaku first thing in the morning. Maybe there is still a chance of negotiating peace."

"I hope you can, Hokage-sama, but I saw that crowd. I don't know if a peaceful solution is possible."

"I have to try. Lives are at stake." Sarutobi replied, "It's very late. You should get some rest, preferably somewhere safe."

"I've been staying at the Inuzuka house, but… I should find somewhere else. I can't endanger their family."

"I will send a team to keep watch. They will be safe. I will send for you in the morning once I know something."

"Thank you, sir."

Itachi slipped quietly back into the house. He found Hana waiting for him on the couch.

"You didn't have to wait up. It's late." he said.

"Couldn't have slept if I tried without knowing if you got back alright."

"Well then, now that I'm back, you can sleep."

Hana nodded and got to her feet. Itachi settled in on the couch, lying on his side. He hoped to get a few hours of sleep before sunrise. To his surprise, Hana curled up beside him.

"What are you doing?"

"Going to sleep, like you said." Hana replied nonchalantly.

"But… your mom is upstairs."

"And we're _just_ sleeping. Relax."

After a moment of hesitation, Itachi gave in. It was not a large couch; he had to hold her close for them both to fit. He wrapped an arm around her and closed his eyes. He had to admit that it was comforting to have her so close. On a night that should have provided his most fitful sleep yet, he slept more soundly than he had in months.

Hana was still in Itachi's arms the next morning when Kiba shook them both awake.

"There's an ANBU guy out front. Says he needs to talk to you." said the boy.

Itachi was embarrassed to have been caught in that position by Hana's brother, but she did not seem the least bit concerned, and Kiba had not batted an eye. Itachi and Hana rose, and Itachi went outside to meet with the waiting ANBU operative.

"Captain Uchiha, your presence is required by the Hokage and the council."

Itachi nodded, "I'll be there shortly."

He returned inside to prepare for the meeting.

"What do you think happened?" Hana asked him.

"The best case scenario is that the Hokage managed to negotiate with my father and had to promise him gods know what in the process."

"What are the odds of that?"

"…Not good."

Hana sighed, "Then I guess you should go find out. Good luck."

Itachi had been called before the council many times before, but he had never been so anxious. There had never been so much at stake. The moment he walked in, Danzo's eyes locked onto him. Itachi bowed respectfully to the Hokage. It was clear that the old man had not slept since Itachi had last seen him.

"You many stand, Itachi." Sarutobi said.

"Why have you brought an Uchiha here?" demanded Koharu, "We clearly cannot trust his kind."

"Itachi is the one who brought this plot to our attention. He is quite trustworthy." Sarutobi replied, then looked back to Itachi, "I attempted to negotiate with Fugaku. He responded only with further threats. He will act soon."

It was the outcome Itachi had expected, but it did not soften the blow.

"…What now?"

"That is what we are here to decide."

"There is nothing left to decide. The Uchiha have made our decision for us." Danzo said, "The clan is a cancer to the village, and must be eradicated for our survival."

"I will _not _take such extreme action, as you well know. Don't suggest it again." Sarutobi snapped.

"You may rule this village, Hokage-sama, but you don't have absolute power." reminded Homura, "It is well within this council's authority to overrule your decisions if we believe you are not acting the best interest of the village."

"Danzo has explained his course of action to us, and we agree that the elimination of the Uchiha clan is our only viable option." Koharu added.

"Are you all completely mad?" Sarutobi asked, shocked, "What you are talking about is genocide! The murder of almost a hundred people! _Our_ people!"

"The Uchiha are dangerous." Danzo said, "That is nothing new. They have been a constant threat to our way of life since the very birth of this village. Perhaps if you had acted when I first brought this threat to your attention many years ago, such drastic action may not have been necessary, but they have been ignored for too long now. It is far past time for this to be dealt with."

"We agree." said Koharu, "The decision has been made."

Itachi had been standing helplessly as the fate of his clan flipped through the air like a coin. He could not remain silent any longer.

"Am I understanding this correctly?" he asked, "Have you just decided to execute my clan?"

Instead of answering, Koharu turned to Sarutobi, "I ask you again, Hokage-sama, why is _he_ here?"

"Obviously the outcome of the meeting directly affects him. It was he who reported this to us. He has the right to be here."

"He could easily run right back to Fugaku. He could tell him everything that has been said here. For all you know, he could be here to assassinate us all."

For the first time Itachi had ever seen, the Third lost his temper. He slammed his hands on the table and stood up.

"I will not stand for insults against a shinobi who has done so much for this village! His loyalty is not in question!"

"Regardless," Homura said, unfazed, "He should not be present for the planning of this operation."

"There will _be_ no operation!"

"It is no longer your decision, Hiruzen." Danzo said, "You can object all you like, but the council _will_ move forward with his immediately. It will be finished tonight."

"May I speak?" Itachi asked, struggling to keep his voice even.

""If you mu-"

Sarutobi cut off Homura, "Of course you can."

"This is the life or death of my clan that you are discussing, Before you go through with this, will you at _least_ allow me to try to stop them myself? A mass execution, and the political fallout that comes with it, may not be necessary if I can keep it contained. Let me find an alternative."

"Why would we put the village at risk with almost no hope of results?" Koharu sniffed.

"Actually, I have a proposal that would grant you that chance." Danzo said, "I will give you until nightfall to try to dissuade them. If you are unable to do so, I will require your assistance."

"That isn't enough time. I need at least twenty-four hours."

"You have twelve. If you fail, _you_ will carry out the executions yourself."

"You can't make him do that." Sarutobi objected.

"A successful extermination of the Uchiha clan will require someone with intimate knowledge of their compound. Who better than an Uchiha?" Danzo pointed out, "You claim his loyalty is beyond question. Let him prove it. Do we have an agreement, Itachi?"

Itachi's voice cracked as he answered, "We do."

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated!


	9. Chapter 9

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

The Hokage was still arguing fiercely with the council when Itachi left, but he knew it was decided. It had been for years; Danzo had just been waiting for his chance to put it into action. Itachi had given him that opportunity.

Itachi went straight to Shisui. He found him working a patrol beat in the southern part of the village. He looked terrible. They stepped into an alleyway to talk.

"Things are getting bad in the Compound. What's the Hokage doing about this?" he asked.

Itachi sighed raggedly, "The Hokage isn't in control of the situation. Danzo and the council overruled him."

"Then… What's going on? What did they decide?"

Itachi took a long time to answer, "…It's mass execution if we can't stop the clan by the end of the day."

Shisui slumped against the wall, "Stop them? How? You haven't seen what it's been like at home since that meeting. The clan's not just pissed off, they're _excited_. They're out for blood."

"I've been trying to come up with something since last night. I think our only chance is your Sharingan."

"I… I don't know if I can do it." Shisui said, "It takes a _long_ time for Kotoamatsukami to recharge. It's been less than a year since I used it. I don't think I pull it off again this soon. Even if it worked… I don't think it would make a difference. On the off chance I could force Uncle Fugaku to change his mind, the rest of the clan wouldn't listen. They want war."

"I know. But we have to try. If not… it's going to fall to me to execute all of them."

"…You?"

"I made a deal for a little more time." Itachi explained.

"I'll try, but if I can't…"

"…I know."

Itachi did not know what to do with himself. He had left everything in Shisui's hands, and had nothing to do but wait. He found himself watching the Uchiha Compound from the rooftops a block or two away. Everything seemed calm from the outside, but he knew that it was like a boiling pot inside.

It was hours before Shisui found him again. Itachi knew without him having to speak that it had not gone well.

"It didn't work." he guessed grimly.

Shisui only nodded, unable to look him in the eye.

"What if I tried just talking to him? Maybe… Maybe I could get through to him. Maybe if I agree to go through with the wedding and leave ANBU…"

Shisui shook his head, "It won't work. I did what you said last night and told him that you reported to the Hokage. As soon as I did, he put out an order to the Military Police to use all means necessary to keep you away from the Compound. He didn't exactly order us to kill you, but he made it pretty clear that he wasn't ordering us _not_ to kill you either. I'm not saying you wouldn't be able to get close enough to have a conversation, but if you did, he wouldn't listen."

"What about you?"

"I already _tried._ I spent the last four hours getting grilled before they decided I was just jumpy, not a traitor. This is rolling too fast to stop now."

"Then… I'm out of options. I bought twelve hours, but now I'm going to have to pay up."

"…I'm not going to blame you or try to stop you." Shisui said quietly, "The clan… They brought this on themselves. You have to do your job."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm the one who failed, not you. Just do what you have to do."

"I need to report to the council. You should be… somewhere else for the next couple days." Itachi said, staring at the sunset that meant his time was up.

Itachi took a deep breath before entering the council room. He locked eyes with Danzo, who was hiding his smugness behind his usual hard expression. He already knew.

"Hokage-sama… I was unsuccessful." Itachi reported.

"I see." Sarutobi sighed, looking terribly feeble.

"Do you intend to go back on your word, Itachi?" Danzo asked, almost daring him.

"I'll do what I promised."

"My agents inform me that the Uchiha will not move until all of their primary targets are in one location for the Spring Festival. That gives us three days. I want it done in no less than two. If you have not completed your mission within forty-eight hours, my men will do it for you. You will _not_ be excluded from the list of targets in that case."

"It will be done. But I have one condition."

"You don't get to demand 'conditions'."

Sarutobi intervened, "You are about to force a young man to murder his family, Danzo. A stipulation is the very _least_ you owe him. Continue, Itachi."

"My brother will be returning from the field from training tonight or tomorrow, and my cousin is in the Compound gathering information for us. They are not to be harmed." said Itachi.

"The boy is old enough to be complicit in the plot. I cannot risk leaving him alive to foster a grudge against the village. And the older one, Shisui isn't it? I have no reason to trust him." Danzo replied.

"Sasuke is just a boy, Danzo!" Sarutobi exclaimed, "And Shisui has risked just as much as Itachi in this! You don't have to worry, Itachi. They will be safe."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Danzo looked disgruntled, but said nothing.

"Itachi… You don't have to do this." Sarutobi said.

"…If I don't, my clan will start a war that could destroy this village. I can't allow that."

"I'm sorry. I truly am."

When Itachi returned to the Uchiha house, it was Tsume who saw him first.

"What happened to you?" she asked, "Ya look awful."

Itachi forced a smile, "Just stress at work. I have a difficult mission coming up."

"Ah, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about for you. Bet it'll turn out to be easier than ya thought."

"…I doubt it, but thanks"

Hana came around the corner and saw him, "What happened?"

Itachi glanced at Tsume who was still listening, "I think I'm going to go for a walk. Do you want to come with me, Hana?"

"…Yeah, okay."

Itachi and Hana walked slowly through the village as Itachi tried to collect his thoughts. It was dark, but the street lights lit the way, and the spring evening was warm. There were still many villagers going about their business. Itachi waited until they were out of earshot of anyone.

"…I made a gamble." he said finally, "It didn't work out for me."

"What kind of gamble?"

"The council decided on mass execution for my clan. They were prepared to go through with it immediately. I asked for twenty-four hours to try to resolve it. They only gave me twelve, but I took it. Shisui and I weren't able to do anything, and now I have to make good on my end of the deal."

"Which is?"

"_I_ execute the clan myself. I have two days."

Hana stopped in her tracks, "T-They can't make you do that!"

"If the clan is allowed to go through with the coup, it will start a civil war within the village. If that happens, it will be like blood in the water for the other nations. At least one of them won't be able to resist the opportunity, and they'll attack while we're weakened. If one does, they _all_ will. It will be another world war."

"I get _why_ it has to be done, but why does it have to be _you_?"

"It's better that way. I can protect Sasuke if it's me, not Danzo's men. It will give the village someone to blame. No one will have to know what my clan was going to do. Everyone always thought I was strange. It's not that much of a leap for the strange kid with the talent for killing to suddenly snap."

"What are you talking about? No one would have to know it was you."

"If an entire clan is killed with no one to blame, it will be chaos, especially with all the foreigners in the village. It has to be me."

"…What about afterward? What will you do?"

"Run. Play the part."

"For how long."

"Forever. That's not that long for me anyway."

"…Y-You can't! They can't do this to you!" Hana exclaimed, outraged.

"Listen… I want you to know," Itachi took a deep breath, "If things had been different… You and I… I never cared about the purity of the bloodline."

"I know. Now shut up. You're not leaving."

By then, Itachi and Hana were nearing the village gates. They were just in time to see Kakashi returning from the field with Sasuke in tow.

"I have to talk to him." Itachi said.

"And tell him what?"

"…I don't know yet."

Itachi approached his former mentor and little brother.

Sasuke smiled, "Hey, Aniki. You're not going to believe some of the new jutsus I'm learning."

"I'm sure they're impressive." Itachi replied with a forced smile, "Is it alright if I talk to him for a while, Kakashi?"

Kakashi shrugged, "We're done for the day. Don't be late tomorrow, Sasuke. We'll keep working on the Chidori."

"Yes, Sensei."

The Copy Ninja departed.

"Really? Like _I'm_ the one who'd be late." Sasuke muttered when he was gone.

"So, if you're training with Kakashi alone, where's Naruto?" Itachi asked.

"He's training with some weird old guy. I guess he knows the Hokage. He's teaching him something about… frogs or something. I don't really know. They left yesterday."

That could only have been Jiraiya. It still angered Itachi that he had abandoned Naruto for most of his life, but he supposed it was better late than never. At the moment however, he was mostly just saddened that he would probably not get a chance to speak to Naruto before he left.

"Is something wrong?" Sasuke asked, "You seem kind of… off."

Sometimes Itachi wished his brother was not quite so perceptive.

"…Things are going to change soon, Otouto. I need you to promise me that no matter what happens, you'll remember everything I thought you. You _and _Naruto. I need you to promise you'll remember your duty to the village."

"Of course I will… Is this about the Exams, or… Did you get back news from the doctor or something? What's going on?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about yet."

"Yet?"

"You need to focus on your training. There is a lot of competition this year." Itachi advised.

"Okay… I guess."

"You know I'll always love you, right?"

"I know… Seriously, what's going on?"

"You'll find out when it's time. You should get home."

"…If you say so…"

Itachi returned to Hana.

"How'd it go?"

Itachi sighed, "I think I just scared him."

"Well, you're on a roll today, 'cause you're scaring the hell out of me too."

"I'm sorry."

Hana took his hand, "I'll call us even if you take this whole plan back. You're not leaving."

Itachi rested his forehead on hers, and touched her cheek with his free hand, "I want to stay with you, more than anything, but I'd just be staying for execution. I have to do this. I don't have a choice."

"There's always a choice," Hana sighed, "But in this case none of the options are good. When are you going to do it?"

"Tomorrow night. I want one more day."

Hana nodded and wrapped her arms around him, "This sucks."

* * *

There will be no update next week. I will be out camping, and trees do not supply wi-fi. Reviews are always appreciated!


	10. Chapter 10

As always, all source material belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

That night, Itachi again fell asleep with Hana in his arms, and once again woke in the middle of the night to frantic pounding on the door.

"It's Shisui again." Hana said, "And I smell blood."

The moment Hana opened the door, Shisui burst in and slammed it shut behind him. He was breathing hard, and holding a bloody rag to his face.

"What happened?" Itachi asked, helping him to a chair.

"That psycho Danzo attacked me out of nowhere."

"You're hurt. Where?" Hana asked.

"He got me in the face. He was trying to gouge my eye out. If I didn't have Obito's Sharingan, I don't think I could have gotten away in one piece."

"Show me the wound."

Gritting his teeth, Shisui pulled away the rag. A long slash ran from under his right eye to the bottom of his ear.

Hana grimaced, "It's deep. I'll have to stitch it."

By that time, the commotion had drawn Tsume and Kiba to the top of the stairs.

"What's going on?" Tsume demanded.

"Everything's fine, Mom." Hana told her, "Shisui just needs a quick stitch job. I'll handle it. You can go back to bed."

"You sure? I ain't a medic, but I've sewn up plenty of critters. I could help." Tsume offered.

"I've got it. Don't worry about it."

"Sorry for waking you guys up." Shisui added.

Tsume and Kiba looked skeptical, but they did return to bed.

"We've got bigger problems than we thought." Shisui said as Hana pulled a suture kit from her medical supplies.

"Danzo was obviously after your Mangekyo Sharingan." Itachi said, "We knew that was a possibility as soon as we found out he knew about it."

"Yeah, but here's what we _didn't_ know. I'm not the first person he's done this to."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the guy has a Sharingan embedded in his fucking hand. He tried to use it on me."

Itachi sat down, "This is what he's been after the whole time. It's why he was so adamant about the executions. It's not about protecting the village, it's not even about getting one over on the Hokage. It's about harvesting Sharingan from the dead afterward."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Shisui asked, wincing as Hana began to apply to sutures, "It's not like you can just back out now."

"… It means I have to do this tonight before Danzo can try again, and it means I have to destroy the eyes as I go."

"I can't believe I'm actually hearing this conversation." Hana groaned.

"I'm out of time. If I wait, I'm only putting everyone in danger."

"So… tonight? You're serious?" asked Shisui.

"…Yeah. I'm going to talk to the Hokage, then…"

"'Then'… yeah." Shisui sighed.

Itachi changed into his ANBU uniform, tied on his headband, and sheathed his ninjato on his back. He stared at himself in the bathroom mirror for a long while, wondering if this was the last time he would be able to stand his own reflection. Once he had collected himself, he made his way to the Hokage Tower with the small pack of belongings he would need while on the run. He guessed correctly that the Third would still be in his office even at this hour. An impending massacre and cover-up would require quite a bit of paperwork.

Sarutobi must have understood what it meant when Itachi appeared in uniform. His already grim expression darkened even more.

"You've decided to do it tonight then."

"Yes, sir. Danzo attacked Shisui tonight. He's forcing my hand."

"I didn't think he would make a move like that until afterward. I'm sorry."

"Shisui was wounded, but it was minor and he was able to escape. Even so, Danzo made it clear that he has no intention of keeping his word."

"You should never have been put in this position. If there is anything I can do, anything at all, just ask."

"You have already promised protection for Shisui and Sasuke, but I need assurances. Shisui can take care of himself, he proved that tonight, but I'm afraid Danzo will try again, and Sasuke doesn't even know he's in danger. There's also Orochimaru's threats toward Sasuke. I have to know they'll be safe."

"They will be under my protection. I give you my word."

Itachi bowed his head "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"I know what this mission means for you, but don't believe that you will be abandoned. I will make sure that you have some form of line of communication with me, and a way back into the village if you ever need it. You are shinobi of the Leaf, regardless of what the world may believe after tonight."

"Thank you."

Sarutobi shook his head, "Don't thank me. I should have been able to prevent this all together. I failed you."

"You aren't to blame for this, sir. I have to go. My window is closing."

Walking out of the tower, Itachi was confronted by none other than Danzo, still looking a bit disheveled from his clash with Shisui.

"So you intend to keep your work after all." the village elder said with great self-satisfaction.

"_One_ of us believes in honor." Itachi replied, "That being said, I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. I know what you did tonight, and it _won't _happen again. The same goes for my brother. If you touch him, or speak to him, or so much as look at him wrong, or if _any _of your men do, I swear on _my_ honor that I will destroy you."

"What makes you think you are in a position to threaten me?"

"I am an ANBU captain. I have been for five years. Do you think I don't know about your side operations? About Root? The Hokage turns a blind eye because he can't afford open conflict with you, but _I_ have nothing to lose. If _anything_ happens to Sasuke _or_ Shisui, the entire world will know every one of your dirty little secrets. That includes the one about your right hand. I bet the Hokage would be very interested in that one in particular."

"Perhaps I underestimated you. You play the game well. You would have been an excellent recruit if I had gotten to you young enough." Danzo said.

"You have my terms."

"I do indeed."

Without further posturing, Itachi left. He had no doubt that Danzo already had half a dozen plans to circumvent the blackmail, but he could not have left him without the threat.

* * *

After next week's chapter, Fall of the Guardian will be going on a summer hiatus. I am in the process of moving and will not have much time to write for a while. Expect new chapters to begin in mid-September. As always, reviews are appreciated!


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